Exploring Hanoi Vietnamwww.ExplorationVacation.net

The Temple of Literature is dedicated to Confucius. It is both a spiritual and scholarly site with ancient roots that is still an important site for Vietnamese students.

As the capital of Vietnam, there are many political and war-related museums and monuments.

The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater performs traditional plays using historic puppets. (Reserve a seat in front.)

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology provides a good introduction to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups.

There is plenty to see and do in Hanoi, but there are also a few easy day trips, including:

The UNESCO Trang An Landscape Complex World Heritage Site includes towering karst peaks, caves, and pagodas. Tourists generally visit the area via sampans on the Red River delta, but there are also opportunities for hiking.